This Saturday is the day to get your holiday bling! Join us this December 16th, from 10am to 5pm in the Koolkat Café, to meet and greet Artsmiths jewelry artists, Samantha Bower of Luster Pittsburgh, Larissa Graundins of Rissi Designs, Paula Cathcart Nettleship of designs2c, and Carol Scheftic of Convergent Series.

Samantha will be featuring her collections of her colorful Swarovski crystal, paper bead, and stone/gemstone necklaces, bracelets and earrings, as well as her ever-popular holiday jewelry designs.

Larissa will have many of her beautifully crafted silver and gemstone jewelry designs, including earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets.

Calling all knitters and crocheters! The Artsmiths of Pittsburgh, in collaboration with Kid Ewe Knot, an independent yarn shop in Bridgeville, will be hosting a collection for red infant hats on Sunday, December 3rd from 11am to 4pm. Kid Ewe Knot will be holding a knit & crochet session in The Artsmiths’ Koolkat Café from 2:30pm to 4pm.

Volunteers from around the country are joining the American Heart Association, in connection with The Children’s Heart Foundation, to celebrate American Heart Month by knitting and crocheting red hats for babies born in February at participating hospitals. Little Hats, Big HeartsTM, honors babies, moms, and heart healthy lives in a very special way. Supporters are knitting and crocheting red hats to be given out to thousands of babies during American Heart Month in order to empower moms to live heart healthy lives and to help their children do the same.

Join us for Coffee, Cider, Cocoa, & Cookies this Saturday, November 25th from 10am to 6pm for our annual celebration of Small Business Saturday. Our 300+ Greater Pittsburgh artists have been busy little elves, creating many unique gifts (many of of which are one-of-a-kind) for every one on your holiday list!

Guests who spend $50 or more will receive a Goodie Bag*. Each goodie bag contains a random selection of locally made goodness from our Artsmiths artists and more!

Join us for Coffee, Cider, Cocoa, & Cookies this Saturday, November 18th from 10am to 6pm for our annual Holiday Open House. Our 300+ Greater Pittsburgh artists have been busy little elves, creating many unique gifts (many of of which are one-of-a-kind) for every one on your holiday list!

Guests who spend $50 or more will receive a Goodie Bag*. Each goodie bag contains a random selection of goodness. Lucky guests may receive an artist made item as part of their bag.

Join our artists for a trunk sale of art & craft supplies, seconds, discontinued works and more! “It’s a Clearance, Clarence!” will be held in the Koolkat Café at The Artsmiths from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, October 28th.

Join us on Thursday, September 28th from 6pm to 8pm in our Koolkat Café for a special presentation and book signing with Thomas Leech and Linda Kaplan, bridge engineers and the authors of Bridges … Pittsburgh at the Point … A Journey Through History. Books will be available for purchase at $25 each. Enjoy a BBQ by Atria’s of Mt. Lebanon who will be grilling outside in our main parking lot from 5pm to 8pm, plus local beer! Peruse our Shop and see the many unique bridge-themed items created by Greater Pittsburgh artists, including prints, photographs, jewelry, ornaments, bar towels, cards, and more. McMurray-based artist Audra Azoury will be debuting a special line of ornaments featuring distinctive Pittsburgh Bridges.

Did Pittsburgh’s development dictate the location of the bridges, or did the bridges lead to development of a great American city?

Bridges … Pittsburgh at the Point … A Journey Through Historyis the first and only book to tell the full story of every one of the 34 wooden, iron and steel bridges that ever spanned the three great rivers at The Point. It shows the development of the city with unique maps laid out chronologically, all from the same orientation, looking East from Mount Washington. More than half of the photographs have never-before been published.

The authors take readers back over 65 million years to the origins of the three rivers and how they were sculpted, creating a dramatic landscape of expansive waterways and lofty cliffs towering over the confluence. Through the words of engineers, architects, planners and historians of the 18th through the 21st centuries, this book narrates Pittsburgh’s evolution from a struggling frontier town, to a smoky industrial center, to a world-class city.

Authors Leech and Kaplan describe an atmosphere of determination and innovation that result in the creation of the first covered wooden bridge to cross the Monongahela in 1818 — a bridge that would be destroyed by the fire of 1845. But it is the fire that ushers in the boldness of John Roehling (later of the Brooklyn Bridge) and his brilliant creation of spun iron ropes to build the replacement of the bridge across the Mon.

The book tells the story of each one of the bridges that would rise and fall at The Point, giving Pittsburgh such iconic spans as the Smithfield Street Bridge, the oldest bridge still in use in the city and a National Historic Landmark.

Our authors bring readers into the present with the beginnings of the Pittsburgh Renaissance in the 1940s and the massive interstate highway program of the 1950s that that gave birth to Point State Park, the Fort Pitt, the Veterans and the Fort Duquesne Bridges. (It is the Fort Duquesne that was for a time known as the Bridge to Nowhere.) No reader of this book will ever again cross the waters at The Point without a sense of awe at the beauty, technology, daring and brilliance that made Pittsburgh and its bridges what they are today.

THOMAS LEECH is the former Chief Bridge Engineer of Gannett Fleming, Inc., an instructor of Civil Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, and a part of the continuing education faculty of the􀀙 Pennsylvania􀀚 State University. While employed with Gannett Fleming, he designed bridges, tunnels and highways and conducted forensic studies􀀾 prior to his retirement. He has published over 50 articles in national and international journals, conference proceedings and magazines. Thomas was the Editor of the book entitled Reflections … of the Greatest Engineers and Architects of the 20th and 21st Centuries.

LINDA KAPLAN is a bridge engineer in the Pittsburgh region. She has experience designing highway, rail, and pedestrian bridges, walls, and tunnels. She is active in the American Society of Civil Engineers, particularly with the structural engineering community in Pittsburgh. She spends her time participating in mentoring and outreach programs for local high school students and undergraduate students at Carnegie Mellon University. Linda is also involved on the National level in the Structural Engineering Institute where she focuses on challenges facing Young Professionals.

Join us for an entertaining afternoon as Alan Jenkins discusses ‘A Long Fly Ball’ (his sequel to ‘$teel Dream$’). Books will be available for purchase and to be signed by the author.

It’s 1934 in the Steel City. Lisa Fuls, investigative reporter, is on the trail of relief fraud and whoever is offering “second chances” to the downtrodden. Follow her as she mixes it up with crooked cops, dances to jazz in the Hill District, and catches Satchel Paige squaring off against Dizzy Dean. 1934 comes alive again in ‘A Long Fly Ball’.

‘A Long Fly Ball’ is a work of historical fiction. As such, the book is based on historic events for which the author relied primarily on contemporaneous reports of the Pittsburgh Courier, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Youngstown Telegram, the Youngstown Vindicator, in addition to other resources.

Haygood Paisleys, a local folk music band that plays foot-stomping old time string music, will be performing live music in the Koolkat Café from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets for this performance are $9 in advance, and $12 at the door. Seating is limited to 55. Koolkat Café doors open at 5:45pm. Purchase tickets here.

(guitar), and John Wagner Givens (bass).

Pitaland will be onsite at The Artsmiths selling their delicious ready-to-eat Mediterranean foods (+ their tasty farmers’ market food items, and drinks) from 5pm to 8pm on September 7th. The Pitaland Food Tent will be set up in The Artsmiths main parking lot and will be open to the public.

Pitaland will be onsite at The Artsmiths selling their delicious ready-to-eat Mediterranean foods (+ their tasty farmers’ market food items, and drinks) from 5pm to 8pm on September 7th. The Pitaland Food Tent will be set up in The Artsmiths main parking lot and will be open to the public.

Haygood Paisleys, a local folk music band that plays foot-stomping old time string music, will be performing in the Koolkat Café from 6pm to 8pm that evening. The musical performance is a ticketed event. Purchase tickets here.

Back for another exciting night, Lee Robinson and ISKA will be performing jazz live in the Koolkat Café on Thursday, July 20th from 6pm to 8pm. Lee is a musician, saxophonist, and composer has been an active participant in the Pittsburgh Jazz Scene for over 35 years. This performance will include Lee Robinson on saxophone, Ben Brosche on keyboard, Eli Naragon on bass, and Subha Das on drums.

Tickets for this July 20th performance are $12 in advance, and $15 at the door. BYOB. Food will be available for purchase from Las Chicas food truck from 5:30pm to 8pm in the Artsmiths’ main parking lot. The store and foodtruck are open to the public. This performance sold out last month so get your tickets early. Seating is limited to 55. Koolkat Café doors open at 5:45pm.

Back for another exciting night, Lee Robinson and ISKA will be performing jazz live in the Koolkat Café on Thursday, July 13th from 6pm to 8pm. Lee is a musician, saxophonist, and composer has been an active participant in the Pittsburgh Jazz Scene for over 35 years. This performance will include Lee Robinson on saxophone, Ben Brosche on keyboard, Eli Naragon on bass, and Subha Das on drums.

Tickets for this July 13th performance are $12 in advance, and $15 at the door. BYOB. PGH Halal Food Truck will be bringing all of their delicious Mediterranean food to the South Hills on from 5pm to 8pm in The Artsmiths’ main parking lot. The store and foodtruck are open to the public. This performance sold out last month so get your tickets early. Seating is limited to 55. Koolkat Café doors open at 5:45pm.

The Artsmiths of Pittsburgh is thrilled to welcome Mt. Lebanon residents Carole Kunkle-Miller, PhD and Wendy Weaver-Graham, PhD to talk about their new book, Emotional Balancing with Essential Oils: A Self-Guided Journey. They have over 35 years experience as licenced psychologists. In addition, Carole is a holistic health coach, and Wendy is a Dance therapist. They bring a creative perspective to understanding the unique psyche of each individual using the modality of natural health solutions. The book has just been released by the publisher and will be available for sale. In addition, Dr. Kunkle-Miller and Dr. Weaver-Graham will give a short presentation on the book and DoTERRA Essential Oils. They will then be available to sign books and for questions and answers. Light hor d’oeuvres will be provided.

PGH Crepes Food Truck will also be at The Artsmiths from 5pm to 8pm selling their delicious sweet and savory crepes and their freshly squeezed lemonade.

PGH Crepes Food Truck will be back by popular demand! This Thursday evening, July 6th from 5pm to 8pm, Ilmir & Regina will be selling both their sweet and savory crepes, plus their delicious freshly squeezed lemonade in The Artsmiths’ main parking lot. Be there!

Lee Robinson and ISKA Jazz Performance will be performing in the Koolkat Café from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets are $5 in advance, and $10 at the door. BYOB. Lee is a musician, saxophonist, and composer has been an active participant in the Pittsburgh Jazz Scene for over 35 years. ISKA band members participating are Lee Robinson (saxaphone), Chris Potter (piano), Eli Nagron (bass), and John Korpiel (drums).

Plus, PGH Crepes Food Truck will also be selling their delicious sweet and savory crepes on-site at The Artsmiths from 4pm to 8pm!

Linda Barnicott, a member and Vice President of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League, will give a gallery talk on what inspired her to paint Pittsburgh Cityscapes and the stories behind them.

Linda began her career as a portrait artist in 1975. As a young child she found great joy in painting portraits and connecting with those she shared them with. In 1989, LInda was asked by a gallery to create a streetcar painting and chose to paint her bus stop, Kaufmann’s department store in downtown Pittsburgh. Using her medium, soft pastels to a leap and painted her very first street scene. The print was an immediate success and launched her career into painting Pittsburgh’s greatest memories.

Loving to paint people, and believing that our city is much more than it’s architecture, Linda has always included her family and friends into her paintings.

Learn more about Linda’s paintings and her accomplishments at http://www.lindabarnicott.com/

This talk is one of several special events being held in conjuction with Pure Pigment, an exhibition presented by the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League. Pure Pigment is on display at The Artsmiths from April 9th through May 20th, 2017.

Nationally known portrait artist and President of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League, Christine Swann will demonstrate how to work in pastel and how to start a portrait from a a live model. She will briefly cover her approach to light, color, and the stages her pastel paintings go through. Everyone is welcome.

Southwest Art Magazine selected Christine Swann as an “Artist To Watch” in the June 2015 issue of the magazine. Known for her “personality portraits” she started as an illustrator and is now an award-winning artist on the international level, including winning the 2015 Best of Show “Prix de Pastel” Masters Circle Exhibition award and the 2013 Gold Medal at the IAPS (International Association of Pastel Societies) Conventions. She won the PSA Award in 2013 in honor of Flora B Guffuni at the Pastel Society of America’s International Exhibition in New York where she has been part of this prestigious exhibition seven times. Her work has received 5th place in the 2015 Portrait Society of America Member’s Competition and as finalists in the 2015 and 2016 Art Renewal Center International Salon. She has been featured for 6 years running in the Pastel Journal’s Pastel 100 Competition, including Second Place for a portrait in 2014.

The French Magazine, “Pratique des Arts” has showcased her portraits in two recent feature articles and she was also included in the French book, “40 Pastel Masters” under the chapter on “Masters of Composition.” The Pastel Journal featured her work in the 2016 October issue with an 8-page article, “Powering Up”. A finalist in the International Artist Magazine’s “People and Figures” competition, she was also published in the books, “How Did They Do That? – 100 Ways To Paint People and Figures”, and recent editions of “Strokes of Genius ”.

Christine is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, and a member of the IAPS Masters’ Circle. She is currently the President of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League and a Past President of the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society. She is also a long-time member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and Portrait Society of America.

This talk and demonstration is one of several special events being held in conjuction with Pure Pigment, an exhibition presented by the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League. Pure Pigment is on display at The Artsmiths from April 9th through May 20th, 2017.

We all know what a difference painting in the open air makes in the perception of light, color, and atmosphere. But the idea of packing up everything you think you’ll need and hauling it to the perfect painting location is overwhelming. In this gallery talk, Diane will offer ideas and advice on bringing the essentials for plein air painting. She will show her outdoor setup, and do a quick demonstration on how she starts a pastel painting. There will be plenty of time for questions during and after the talk.

Diane Grguras has a B.S. in Medical Illustration from The Ohio State University and an A.S. in Scientific Illustration from San Bernardino Valley College. She has worked in graphic design, illustration, and has taught art classes for adults and children.

Her work in pastel considers color temperatures and the effect of light.

In addition to be a member of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League, Diane is represented by the Gallery of 43rd Street in Lawrenceville, and Glass Growers Gallery in Erie, PA.

“My paintings are an expression of how I see and feel about the natural world. I appreciate its beautiful diversity, order, and logic. Painting outside has increased my observational skills by letting me see light, color, and atmosphere in their true appearance. It has also provided an awareness of the spiritual quality of the landscape. The idea that each person is unique and important is mirrored in nature.

The artists whose work has been influential for me are Andrew Wyeth, Claude Monet, Wolf Kahn, and the California Impressionists.” — Diane Grguras, pastel artist
http://dianegrguras.com/

This talk and demonstration is one of several special events being held in conjuction with Pure Pigment, an exhibition presented by the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League. Pure Pigment is on display at The Artsmiths from April 9th through May 20th, 2017.

PanPastels are an exciting new medium that will make life easier for pastel artists. They are pure pastel pigment with almost no binder and create little dust. PanPastels are easy to carry, clean to use, and combine well with pastel sticks and pencils. They are wonderful for rendering portraits, backgrounds, and dogs, cats, birds, and other animal subjects. Diane will demonstrate the advantages, techniques, effects, and best grounds to use with the medium. Diane’s gallery talk and demonstration will include time for questions and a chance to experiment with her set of PanPastels, tools, and grounds.

Diane Murray, a member of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League, was an early adopter of PanPastels and gives talks and workshops on their advantages and use. She has learned techniques in pastels, as well as watercolor, from numerous workshops by locally and nationally known artists. Diane has won local awards for her work in both pastel and watercolor, and often combines the two mediums.

Diane has been interested in art all of her life. She studied basic design and drawing as an art major at San Jose State in the early 1960s, but did not become a dedicated artist until 2012 after returing from teaching English in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

“I find painting helps me appreciate the beauty around me in my day-to-day life. That is what I try to portray in my work. Art helps me deal with emotions and reduces pain levels. I am most influenced by the Impressionists, but I appreciate and gain from all art.” — Diane Murray, pastel artist

This gallery talk and demonstration is one of several special events being held in conjuction with Pure Pigment, an exhibition presented by the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League. Pure Pigment is on display at The Artsmiths from April 9th through May 20th, 2017.

Pastel artist Frances Marze will give a talk on the use of pastel by artists from the 16th to 20th century, highligting famous artists who used pastels as finished works and those who used pastels for studies for larger pieces in oil. Fran will show some of the various styles that the different artists chose. The talk, which will feature photos and slides of artists’ work), will last approximately an hour with time allotted for questions.

Fran is a member & the Treasurer of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League and a docent at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

This talk is one of several special events being held in conjuction with Pure Pigment, an exhibition presented by the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League. Pure Pigment is on display at The Artsmiths from April 9th through May 20th, 2017.

Join us for a Sunday afternoon reception with members of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League (PPAL) for the opening of Pure Pigment on April 9th from 2pm to 5pm. The reception will feature light appetizers and refreshments.

Kick off Spring by joining us for a Sunday afternoon reception with members of the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh for the opening of Awakening. This exhibit, juried by Margery Amdur, conjures thoughts of revitalization, coming alive, rebirth, seeing the light, beginning again, and a variety of visions and images. The reception will feature light appetizers and refreshments.

The Artsmiths is honored to host a Central Blood Bank Blood Drive on Saturday, December 3rd from 11am to 4pm. This is a great way to help community members in need. All participating donors will receive an “ugly holiday sweater” T-shirt.

Registration is encouraged and appreciated. Visit http://www.centralbloodbank.org, click Make an Appointment and search with the group code K342. You can also contact Terri at Central Blood Bank at 412-354-8846.